Defibrillators For All in Whittlesey have raised £10,000 in less than three months to fund heart checks for young people in the town.
The community spirit in the town proved amazing, organisers aid.
When the charity announced it needed to raise the money, to provide heart screening for people aged 14 to 35, it did not take long for groups and individuals to show their support.
Deborah Slator from Defibrillators For All, said: “I am amazed by the support shown, we have actually raised the £10,000 in less than 3 months.
“Initially it looked as though we would struggle but one by one local groups and individuals started to show their support.
“We went from having a large deficit to reaching target within a week.
“We are so thankful to all those that helped us to raise the money”
On June 2 and 3 June Cardiac Risk in the young (CRY) will perform Electrocardiogram (ECG) and Echocardiogram (ECHO) with the intention of identifying those that are at risk from sudden cardiac death.
Sudden death syndrome is an umbrella term for the many different causes of young sudden cardiac death.
These conditions include thickening of the heart muscle or an abnormal structure of the heart, and irregularities of the impulses that control the rhythm of the heart.
Youngsters involved in sport, in particular, stress their heart the most and if they have an underlying cardiac abnormality, they are more likely to be at risk.
Deborah said: “It is important to emphasise that exercise is NOT harmful and sport itself does not cause cardiac arrest, but can exacerbate an undetected condition.”
Principal of Sir Harry Smith Community College, Dawn White has given full support to the campaign which will take place in the college premises. The school has hosted assemblies for youngsters within the age range and will be sending letters home to parents giving them all the information they need to get involved.
• Brian Gregory from the Sudbury Court Social fund presented £600.
• Stephen Duffy from Buckle and Co (a trustee of the charitable trust) presented a cheque for £2000.
• Andrew Inman collected more than £1,200 pounds in sponsorship when he climbed Scaffell Pike.
• A donation for £1,000 came from the Provincial Grand Lodge of Cambridgeshire Charity for Care and Relief.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here